Summary: On Good friday - a unique perspective on the cross

As we contemplate the cross, may we know the gifts of mercy and love that were delivered there, to us. And may we envision and grasp the height, the depth, the breadth and width of the love of God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN!

His presence was needed to fulfill a promise, recorded by centuries before about one who would be by the side of the Messiah.

We do not know his name, or any details about him. All four accounts of the crucifixion place him there, yet only in Luke’s gospel do we get any more knowledge than the fact that like us, he is a sinner.

He was not a willing participant in the crucifixion, As I thought about this man, the more I wish I would be able to see Jesus the way He did, that close, to experience Christ’s last hours of life, and yes, Christ’s death.

And as we contemplate the death of the Son of God, I would hope that we would see Jesus as this man did. That we could grasp not only what he saw with his eyes, but that which he saw, and even more, that which He heard.

From a point as close to Jesus on the cross, as I am, here to this cross.

I want us to see Jesus from the position of the thief on the cross next to him. I want us to see how Christ became his Vision, and how nothing else would matter, except r those incredible words, “today you will be with me..in paradise.

I want us to grasp the incredible change that happened in this man, and as we do, realize the incredible change in us, as we too have been united in the death of Christ.

The Nature of Sin

While there is no one here, that would volunteer to take the thief’s place, there is a freedom in his words that I find….refreshing. Hear those words, as he confronts the man on the other side of Jesus,

“Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Luke 23:40-41 (NLT)

Perhaps it is because he is dealing with the wages of his own sin. The man hanging next to Jesus is willing to acknowledge his own guilt, his own sin. Crucified next to Christ, the stark difference between our unrighteousness and Christ’s holiness is made clear. Because of that – he realized the truth that the apostle John would declare: “if you confess your sins, He is faithful to forgive those sins, and cleanse you of all unrighteousness.”

What would it take, for us to realize that our sins should result us being crucified or stoned, or sent out to die? Do we realize that when we fail to love God, and allow the world to tempt us into desiring things more that we desire Him, we deserve to be there? Or when we don’t call upon Him in our need, or to thank Him, we should be placed on the cross instead of Christ? What about how we treat our neighbors, our co-workers, our friends, our family. Do we deserve a cross of our own?

Yes, we do. It shouldn’t have been Jesus with the two thieves, it should have been me. And we could cover the rest of Golgotha with crosses for each of you.